Soil Reinforcement

By Ray Myers - The Asphalt Interlayer Association has just completed its annual officers election. Michael Samueloff of HUESKER was elected president of the AIA board. Dennis Rogers and...

TenCate has entered into an agreement to purchase the geosynthetics activities of Emas Kiara Industries Berhad, a publicly listed company based in Rawang, Malaysia. This transaction will provide TenCate Geosynthetics with a significantly larger position in the supply of geosynthetics solutions to the Southeast Asian markets. The purchase is expected to be finalized in early 2011. Emas Kiara Industries is an important full-line producer and supplier of a wide range of geosynthetic products and solutions with primary focus on the Asian markets. This addition of the Emas Kiara production capabilities, employees, and product brands will significantly strengthen the position of TenCate Geosynthetics activities in this rapidly growing region of the world.

In the opening column to the International Geosynthetics Society's IGS News (Volume 29, Issue 2), IGS President Jorge Zornberg notes, "The conferences of the IGS have played a remarkable...

Two hydraulics events are coming to New Orleans, Louisiana in November 2017 thank to a technical committee of the International Geosynthetics Society. The engineering professional development gathering will consist...

The mining industry uses an enormous amount of geosynthetic materials to provide safer, stronger, more cost-effective yields. The mine engineering presentations at GeoAmericas 2016 provide a high-quality, comprehensive view...

Jack-Gregor Tcherniavsky, the managing director of Tencate Geosynthetics Africa region, has been quoted in an article about the coming oil industry in Uganda. Geosynthetics will play a role in the country's infrastructure growth andin the oil sector's development. As the former may be reliant on the latter's success, geosynthetics perhaps stand to be of special interest. For example, "there will be a need to build more roads and more infrastructure," Mr, Tcherniavsky said. Learn more here.;

The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a challenge made by NAUE that questions whether certain claims in a brochure published by Tensar International could be substantiated. The brochure, "TriAx: A Revolution in Geogrid Technology," detailed the properties and performance advantages of Tensar TriAx geogrids. Within the information in this brochure, Tensar talks about the research that has evolved into a "revolutionary change from a rectangular to a triangular grid aperture." It goes on to say: "This was a revolution in geogrids technology with significant, new improved benefits over the biaxial geogrids." (Continued.)

The current installment of CE News' Civil Connection e-newsletter includes a segmental retaining wall (SRW) design on shipping giant DHL's new, 72-acre site in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Strata Systems' Sleeve-It product enabled the project team to establish a key security fence on what would normally be a difficult site: the top of the wall. The article shows how the installation succeeded. Learn more here.;

For this installment of "Recommended Reading," we asked Richard Bathurst, Ph.D., FCAE, FEIC, P.Eng., what others in the geosynthetics and affiliated engineering sectors might learn from or like to...

HUESKER Synthetic GmbH hosted a special conference on 19 and 20 January 2012 in Düsseldorf and welcomed representatives of subsidiaries, numerous national and international business associates and partners of the company as well as representatives of engineering companies, testing institutes, authorities and universities.

SKZ's 2nd International Conference on Geosynthetics Middle East is being held in Dubai, UAE, 10-11 November 2009 with geomembrane and geogrid technologies guiding most of the discussions. A special one-day seminar will follow on November 12 on HDPE liner issues. Ian Peggs of I-CORP has sent along a write-up from day one of the conference. Read his synopsis of the presentations and companies present at the event, and see images from this region of ever-increasing importance to the geosynthetics field.

Two new ASTM International standards will aid in the recent national movement to develop a mechanistic-empirical design guide for pavements. The new standards, developed by ASTM International D35 on Geosynthetics, will each cover quantification of fundamental material properties for pavement components. The standards, ASTM D7499 (Test Method for Measuring Geosynthetic-Soil Resilient Interface Shear Stiffness) and ASTM D7556 (Test Methods for Determining Small-Strain Tensile Properties of Geogrids and Geotextiles by In-Air Cyclic Tension Tests) are under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D35.01 on Mechanical Properties.

Russian polymer producer Sibur Holding has ventured downstream into film manufacturing with its agreement to buy a stake in a leading national supplier of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films. Read more in Plastics and Rubber World (PRW.com). Learn more here.;

In Northern Ontario, a 150-square-kilometre section of the James Bay Lowlands is referred to as the "Ring of Fire." It's a mineral-rich area known for high-grade deposits of gold, copper, nickel, zinc, chromite and palladium. But accessing the area and transporting heavy mining loads from it is complicated by super-saturated soils which some engineers compare to the soils in Florida's Everglades. Geosynthetic support systems, such as geotextiles (which are used in road-building over soft soils like peat). Engineers are evaluating numerous approaches now. Learn more here.;

Video has become an increasingly important medium online for disseminating geosynthetics information. The international manufacturer NAUE, an ISO 9001-certified group of companies, has recently produced numerous videos that showcase geosynthetic applications, testing, installation procedures, specific materials, and systems. The latest video is a general overview of geosynthetics in use and being installed. From runways to railways and from walls to the waterfronts, geotextiles, geomembranes, GCLs, geogrids, and other polymeric materials are improving infrastructures, reducing construction costs, and decreasing the carbon footprint of construction activities. See the video online. Learn more here.;

Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Institute (GI) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). It will be held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. A special session will be held on floating covers for potable water. Your abstracts are encouraged. The deadline for abstracts is 8 March 2010.

As 2017 opens, the first acquisition announced in the industry is that of Terrafix by Hans Geo Components. The geosynthetics growth move combines the Hanes Companies’ distribution network for...

Located throughout the U.S. and in 6 other regions of the world, the Chapters of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) are instrumental in providing the erosion and sediment control community with education and networking opportunities through regional conferences, workshops, field days, newsletters, websites and other services.IECA is proud of the following Chapters for their achievements. (Continued.)

Strata Systems has released a new StrataSlope® brochure. The publication offers technical data and application references designed to help civil engineers, site developers and construction firms identify available soil reinforcement technologies that address difficult geotechnical engineering challenges. Learn more here.;

Conwed Global Netting Solutions has announced the acquisition of Monahan Filaments located in Middlebury, Vermont. Monahan’s PROSTRAN® brand filaments are used as a component in turf reinforcement mats (TRMs). Read more at Erosion Control. Learn more here.;

Geofabrics Australasia has developed a suite of videos that explain various standardized tests on geosynthetics. While these videos focus specifically on Australian standards, they are highly applicable to testing conducted...

On Monday, President Obama proposed $1.82 billion in funding for 27 major transit construction projects that will create jobs and increase transportation options throughout the United States. A complete list of projects -- which are located in metropolitan areas across the nation -- is available here.

Today Yolo County, California is awarding roughly $3 million in contracts to stabilize the eroded levee at Huff's Corner. One of the key elements in the approved design's repair will be geogrid reinforcement layers spaced every two feet. Along two sections of a quarter-mile stretch, 25 percent of the levee washed away in a New Year's 2006 storm. Learn more here.;

The St. Louis Chapter of the Geo-Institute is joining with the University of Missouri-Columbia and the Missouri University of Science and Technology to launch a new geotechnical engineering and geo-environmental conference: Geoconfluence. This annual conference will include papers and case histories focused on the geotechnical engineering and geo-environmental industry. This one-day conference is open to all and is scheduled for Friday, 28 October 2011. Dr. Robert Holtz from the University of Washington is scheduled to deliver the Terzaghi Lecture on Geosynthetics at this event. Download the event brochure (PDF). Learn more here.;

UK-based Applied Market Information (AMI) has launched the digital magazine Compounding World to cover compounding, masterbatch production, and the various materials and markets affected and influenced by these early points in the manufacturing chain. Many readers of geosynthetica will know AMI from its series of conferences around the world, such as Waterproof Membranes, Plastics in Underground Pipes, and Polymer Sourcing. Read the first issue (December 2008) of Compounding World online. Learn more here.;